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Sunday, September 07, 2008

Trying to be happy in a world of sadness

I wanted to write or put something funny up on the blog and I actually went to Yahoo to get a cute image but what popped up was this tragic story about a Mexican immigrant being beaten to death by four teenagers.

It brought to mind the incident when three youth beat up a homeless man (and made me cry).

What is wrong with people?!!!!

This also prompted my thinking of a conversation I recently had with two of my friends who were visiting from Manchester, England, about the death penalty. They were firmly against it, while I am not as nice. In some cases I think people need to be fried (yes I am working on my forgiveness issues).

But what about in this instance; the youth who killed Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala, 25, of Shenandoah, PA, a factory worker, are being charged as juveniles, so they will not get death. But instead they will face imprisonment until the age of 21 (considering they are around 17, this is not a lot of time). That does not seem fair to me; they took a man's life, shouldn't they be punished more?? I am not saying they should get death, but maybe at least being in prison till they are say 40 and have missed their entire young adult life?

Also, I am wondering if these boys are white; I ask this because in Florida when a black kid, age 15, killed his cousin by accident in a wrestling move, he was tried as an adult. I don't know, but I wonder if these youth had killed a white man instead of a Mexican immigrant, would they have gotten a harsher punishment? I am inclined to think, "yes."

Lots of thoughts swirl around in my mind but foremost is a prayer for Mr. Zavala, may he rest in peace and God bless him and his family.

6 Comments:

I certainly think that age 17 is old enough to be held accountable for a brutal murder. It seems unlikely that they will improve in prison and be safe on our streets when the reach age 21. And it is certainly fair to wonder about the racial issues. They persist for a variety of reasons, despite attempts to create a fair system.

I want to know what is wrong with folks too! It does get ya quite depressed!Today I eel a bit that way anyhow-so thanks for making me go deeper! only kidding.One thing for sure we have to take care of one another!

Just playing devil's advocate here - but it seems to me that if children (yes, in our society 17 years old is still a child) are tried as adults, it's a bit like giving up on them. Somewhere, somehow, society, their families, whoever, have fundamentally failed these kids, that they should do such an awful thing. Are they irredeemable? Maybe. It's depressing to think so, though.